Author Archive: shinlee0406

A new study published in Dermato-Endocrinology suggests that consuming mushrooms can be as effective as consuming vitamin D supplements. Researchers from Boston University Schoolof Medicine studied 30 healthy patients who were randomly assigned to take capsules of mushroom powder or vitaminD. At 12 weeks, therewas no statistical significant difference between serum concentrationsin two groups.How often do you eat mushrooms? What are your favorites? Are you familiar with their health benefits?

A study published in Nutrition Journal suggests that there is no association between low-fats diets and cardiovascular disease risk or diabetes risk. Fifteen randomized controlled trials were evaluated and there was no significant difference in results between the groups with either high-protein diets or low-protein diets. What are your thoughts? What are your recommendations?

A study led by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences researcher, Donna Baird, suggested that there is a negative association between Vitamin D and risk of uterine fibroids – 1,036 women were evaluated, women who had sufficient level of Vitamin D were about 30 percent less likely to develop fibroids. How often do you counsel women on their vitamin D intake? Do you have favorite brands/products?

A small study conducted in India suggests that there is association between extract of coffee beans and blood glucose control. Thirty normal weight men and women without diabetes were evaluated and green coffee bean extract appeared to lower blood glucose in those individuals. What do you typically recommend to patients with blood glucose control issues? Have you recommended green coffee bean extract before?

A study published in the recent Journal of Nutrition followed 58,603 women aged 52-77 years and evaluated a relationship between reduced risk of Type II diabetes in Women and walnut intake. The study suggests that the higher walnut intake was related to a significantly lowered risk of type II diabetes in women. What nuts and seeds do you incorporate into your diet? What are your favorite health related benefits for doing that?

New research published in the Nutrition Journal investigated the association between generally recommended iron supplementation during pregnancy and fetal growth. Scientists looked at 337 South Korean pregnant women concluding that there was a negative association between excessive maternal iron intake at mid pregnancy and fetal growth. When looking at vitamins and minerals how do you counsel patients in general? Do you have a solid understanding of which ones are beneficial and which ones can be harmful, in what populations and in what doses?

New research from Harvard School of Public Health published in the Annals of Internal Medicine explored the connection between omega-3 fatty acid rich food intake and longevity in more than 2,700 U.S adults. The adults with higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acid levels had 27% lower overall risk of death and 35% lower risk of death from cardiovascular event than those with lower concentration. How do you encourage your patients to increase their omega-3 fatty acid food consumption?

According to Hong Kong based research, 101 women with hot flashes in 40s and 50s were evaluated. A preparation made from six Chinese herbs called Er-xian Decoction (EXD) was tested. Compared to placebo, the reduction in hot flashes was modest. What are your favorite foods, herbs and supplements to recommend to patients with hot flashes?